Piezoelectric cigarette lighter

ABSTRACT

A piezoelectric cigarette lighter utilizing a piezoelectric igniter wherein a mechanism for giving an impact to an impact receiving area of the piezoelectric igniter employs the principle of leverage. This mechanism employs a manipulatable body to which a finger pressure is applied, a striker and a cam lever disposed between the manipulatable body and the striker. A first spring element is used to bias the manipulatable body and the striker in the opposite directions and a second spring element is used to bias the manipulatable body and the cam lever in the opposite directions. A spring force exterted by the second spring element on the cam lever acts in the same direction as a spring force exerted by the first spring element on the manipulatable body so that the former cooperates with the finger pressure to render the first spring element to accummulate necessary energy for producing the impact.

United States Patent [191 Tatsumi [4 June 18, 1974 PIEZOEL CTRIC CIG E ER Prir nary Examiner\ olodymy r Y. Mayewsky [75] Inventor: Tetsuo Tatsumi, Kyoto, Japan Attorney, Agent, or Ftrm-Cra1g and Antonelh [73] Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., [57] ABSTRACT y Japan A piezoelectric cigarette lighter utilizing a piezoelec- [22] Filed. Oct 16 1973 tric igniter wherein a mechanism for giving an impact to an impact receiving area of the piezoelectric igniter [21] Appl. No; 406,899 employs the principle of leverage. This mechanism employs a manipulatable body to which a finger pressure is applied, a striker and a cam lever disposed be- [52] Cl 431/255 2 3? 5 7 tween the manipulatable body and the striker A first [51] Int Cl I23q 3/01 spring element is used to bias the manipulatable body [58] Fie'ld ll 81 and the striker in the opposite directions and a second H31 5 5 4 spring element is used to bias the manipulatable body and the cam lever in the opposite directions. A spring [56] References Cited force exterted by the second spring element on the cam lever acts in the same direction as a spring force UNITED STATES PATENTS exerted by the first spring element on the manipulat- 3,506,386 4/l970 GOKO 431/255 able so that the former cooperates the fin- 3,529,9l2 9/1970 Retzler 43l/l3l X ger pressure to render the first Spring element to g 22:2 3/ 33 cummulate necessary energy for producing the im- 3:734:680 5/1973 Maruyama 431/132 Pact 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures .Y J 4 4 4; 1a 24 35;; ,1 4 1;

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a! Z 4 E 1/ E J F. 4 Eflfl J 1 I r 1 PIEZOELECTRIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER The present invention relates to a piezoelectric cigarette lighter utilizing an piezoelectric igniter for lightening a gaseous fuel and, more particularly, to a mechanism for driving a striker or hammer onto the piezoelectric igniter in response to the applied finger pressure.

A variety of piezoelectric cigarette lighters are heretofore available. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter in itself is not a new instrument, but most efforts during the course of improvement have been concentrated in an attempt to reduce the finger pressure the user of a cigarette lighter must impose on a manipulatable pusher or body of the cigarette lighter for giving an impact to the piezoelectric igniter through a striker or hammer to thereby generate a spark of high voltage, without inviting any reduction of the magnitude of the impact required by the piezoelectric igniter.

Most conventional piezoelectric cigarette lighters are constructed such that the manipulatable pusher or body carries the striker or hammer pivotally secured thereto and associated with the manipulatable pusher or body through a spring element for accumulating energy necessary to drive the striker or hammer onto the piezoelectric igniter. An additional spring element is used to restrict the spring element from being released prior to completion of rotation of the striker or hammer through a predetermined angle in adirection away from the piezoelectric igniter and also to release, upon completion of such rotation of the striker or hammer through the predetermined angle, the spring element to drive the striker or hammer onto the piezoelectric igniter.

In these conventional cigarette lighters, because both the spring element and the additional spring element are independently compressed in response to the application of the finger pressure to the manipulatable pusher or body, the finger pressure is required greater than in compressing a single spring element.

Accordingly, an essential object of the present invention is to provide an improved piezoelectric cigarette lighter which does not require a relatively great finger pressure in accumulating energy .requiredto drive a striker or hammer onto the piezoelectric igniter.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved piezoelectric cigarette lighter of the type referred to above, capable of providing a strong mechanical striking force onto the piezoelectric igniter with the application of a substantially reduced finger pressure.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved piezoelectric cigarette lighter of the type referred to above, which is compact in its design, economical in its manufacture and efficient and reliable in its perfonnance.

For accomplishing these objects of the present invention, the piezoelectric cigarette lighter essentially comprises a pivotally supported manipulatable body, a striker pivotally supported independent of the manipulatable body and a first spring element for accumulating energy necessary to drive the striker onto the piezoelectric igniter. An additional or second spring element is used, but this second spring elementacts to apply a pushing force to the striker thereby assisting the first spring element, in cooperation with the finger pressure also acting on the first spring element through the manipulatable body, to be radially inwardly compressed to accumulate the energy. The greater the linear distance between the pivot of the manipulatable body and the point at which the finger pressure is applied to the manipulatable body is then the linear distance between the longitudinal axis of the second spring element and the pivot of the manipulatable body, the smaller the finger pressure suffices.

Briefly speaking, the first and second spring elements substantially counteract to each other. In other words, the striker is disengaged from the piezoelectric igniter compressing the first spring element during pivotal movement of the manipulatable body from an inoperative position to an operative position, by a cam lever carried by the manipulatable body and biased in one direction by the second spring element so as to disengage said striker from said piezoelectric igniter. Upon completion of pivotal movement of the manipulatable body to the operative position, the cam lever causes the striker to be released from receipt of a biasing force of the second spring element whereby, by the action of the first spring element then compressed to accumulate the necessary energy, the striker is instantaneously driven onto the piezoelectric igniter to generate a spark of high voltage.

In any event, these and other objects and features of the present invention becomes clear from the following description taken in conjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a piezoelectric cigarette lighter embodying the present invention, said lighter being conditioned in an inoperative position,

FIG. 2 is a similar view to FIG. 1, but showing the lighter in another position ready to give an impact to the piezoelectric igniter,

FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 1, but showing the lighter in an operated position, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of an essential portion of the cigarette lighter of the present invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and, particularly, to FIGS. 1 to 3, a piezoelectric cigarette lighter embodying the present invention comprises a casing 4 stationarily accommodating therein a solid framework 1, a piezoelectric igniter 2 rigidly seated on the solid framework 1 and a fuel tank 3 having a nozzle 6.

The piezoelectric igniter 2 has an impact receiving area as at 2a, and a discharge electrode 42 connected with the piezoelectric igniter 2 through a lead wire 44 and held in position by a seat 43 which is made of electrically insulating material and which is rigidly supported by the solid framework 1.

The fuel tank 3 is designed such that, when the nozzle 6 is outwardly pushed, liquefied fuel within the fuel tank 3 can be discharged through the nozzle 6 in the form of a gaseous body, and so long as the nozzle 6 is inwardly retracted, no discharge of the liquefied fuel take place. For this purpose, an operating lever 41 is employed and has one end mounted on the nozzle 6 between a collar 7 and the fuel tank 3, said collar 7 being rigidly mounted on the nozzle 6 for permitting the nozzle 6 to receive an outwardly acting pulling force, transmitted thereto through the operating lever 41, so that the nozzle 6 can be opened to discharge the liquefied fuel from the interior of the fuel tank 3.

The arrangement so far described is of a known construction and, therefore, for the sake of brevity, the details thereof are herein omitted.

The piezoelectric cigarette lighter futher comprises an manipulatable body 11 having a pair of spaced legs 1 1a situated within the casing 4. This manipulatable body 11 is pivotally supported by the framework 1 for angular movement between closed and opened positions about a support pin 12 which has both ends journalled to the framework 1, a substantially intermediate portion thereof extending through both of the spaced legs 11a. In the drawings, only one of the legs 11a is shown.

The spaced legs 11a carry a cam lever 31 of a construction asbest shown in FIG. 4, reference to which will now be made for the details of said cam lever 31. The cam lever 31 is formed with a pair of bodies 34 of the same configuration which are rigidly connected to each other by a bridge member 33 secured at both ends to said bodies 34 thereby providing a clearance 31a.

Each body 34 is formed at one end extremity with a pair of fingers 35a and 35b which, in cooperation with each other, provides a round recess 35, the function of which will be described later. Each body 34 is also formed as at 36 with a projection for engagement with a stopper as at 13 carried by the leg or legs 11a, an edge portion of the body 34 between said projection 36 and said finger 35a being inwardly curved to provide an escapement recess 38.

While in the above construction, the cam lever 31 is pivotally carried by the legs lla within a space defined therebetween through a pin member 32 having both ends journalled to the respective legs 11a, a substantially intermediate portion of which extends through the bodies 34 at an end portion remote from the rounded recess 35. It should be noted that, although in FIGS. 1 to 3, only one of the bodies 34 is illustrated, these may be of one-piece construction provided that the clearance 31a is formed for the purpose as will become clear later. Furthermore, the pin member 32 may be employed in the form of two separate members secured to the invididual bodies 34 of the cam lever 31 so as to extend therefrom in the opposite directions.

This cam lever 31 is biased in one direction about the axis of the pin member 32 by a wire spring 37 mounted on the pin member 32 between the bodiesx34 and having one end engaged to the bridge member 33 and the other end engaged to the stopper 13. The stopper 13 may be constructed in the form of a solid piece rigidly secured to any one of the bodies 34 or in the form of a bridge member bridging over the space between the spaced legs lla. Engagement of the other end of the wire spring 37 is not always done to the stopper 13, but may be done to the support pin 12.

A striker 21 has one end supported by a pin member 24 extending therethrough and joumalled at both ends to the framework 1 and the other end integrally formed with a striking block 22. Like the cam lever 31, the striker 21 is operatively situated within the space between the legs lla of the manipulatable body 11. A wire spring 25 is mounted on a substantially intermediate portion of the pin member 24 and has one end engaged to the manipulatable body 11 and the other end engaged to the striker 21 so that said mainpulatable body 11 and said striker 21 are relatively biased by said wire spring 25 in the opposite directions. The striker 21 rigidly carries a pin member 26 extending therethrough, both ends of which are outwardly projected from the striker 21 in an equal distance and the length of which is slightly smaller than the size of the space between the legs 11a.

When the manipulatable body 11 is in the closed position as defined by a stopper as at 5 and as shown in FIG. 1, the striker 21 is so biased about the pin member 24 by the wire spring 25 that the striking block 22 rests on the impact receiving area 2a of the piezoelectric igniter 2 and that both ends of the pin member 26 are respectively received in the rounded recesses 35 in the corresponding bodies 34 of the cam lever 31 which is also biased about the pin member 32 by the wire spring 37 obviously counteracting to the wire spring 25. At this time, the nozzle 6 is in the closed position.

It should be noted that the circumferentially acting spring force of the wire spring 37 is smaller than that of the wire spring 25. Employment of the wire spring 37 suffices if the circumferentially acting force exerted by the wire spring'37' is sufficient to cause the ends of the pin member 26 to be received in the respective rounded recesses 35 in the bodies 34 of the cam lever 31 during pivotal movement of the cam lever 31 urged by said wire spring 37.

Subsequent application of a finger pressure to the manupulatable body 11 in such a manner as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 causes the legs 11a to pivot in a clockwise direction about the axis of the pin 12 and, at the same time, the wire spring 25 is circumferentially compressed from one direction. Simultaneously therewith, the axis of the pin member 32 which is the pivot of the cam lever 31 angularly moves while the cam lever 31 is biased thereabout in a counterclockwise direction, whereby the striker 21 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of the pin member 24 with the ends of the pin member 26 firmly, but relatively rotatably, received within the rounded recesses 35. Upon pivotal movement of the striker 21 in the counterclockwise direction thus effected, not only the wire spring 25 is circumferentially compressed from the opposite direction, but also the striking block 22 moves away from the impact receiving area 2a of the piezoelectric igniter 2.

During the pivotal movement of the manupulatable body 11 by the application of the finger pressure, the stopper 13 becomes engaged to the end of the operating lever 41 thereby causing the nozzle 6 to be upwardly pulled to open said nozzle in the known manner.

Engagement of the stopper, 13 to the projections 36 takes place as the manipulatable body 11 is further pivoted about the support pin 12 by the finger pressure. Immediately after such engagement has taken place, the cam lever 31 while angularly moving together with the legs 11a of the manipulatable body 11 is pivoted about the pin member 32 against the wire spring 37, i.e., in a clockwise direction and the ends of the pin member 26 are forced to relatively disengage from the rounded recesses 35 and, consequently, slidingly ride over the corresponding fingers 35a of the bodies 34 of the cam lever 31 as shown in FIG. 2.

While the cigarette lighter is conditioned as shown in FIG. 2, further continuous application of the finger pressure to the manipulatable body 11 permits the ends of the pin member 26 respectively resting on the tops of the fingers 35a of the bodies 34 to instantaneously fall into the escapement recesses 38 with the striker 21 pivoting about the axis of the pin member 24 in a clockwise direction urged by the wire spring 25. In other words, upon fall of the ends of the pin member 26 into the escapement recesses 38 as shown in FIG. 3, circumferentially outwardly acting energy that has been accummulated in the wire spring 25 is instantaneously released and, as a result thereof, the striker 21 rapidly pivots in the clockwise direction with the striking block 22 driven onto the impact receiving area 2a of the piezoelectric igniter 2. A spark of high voltage is, of course, generated from the discharge electrode 42 to the nozzle 6, then upwardly pulled to open itself, thereby to ignite a gaseous fuel discharged through said nozzle 6 in the known manner. It should be noted that, at this time, an end portion of the striker 21 adjacent to the striking block 22 is situated within the clearance 31a defined by the bridge member 33 and the bodies 34 of the cam lever 31.

The condition shown in FIG. 3 remains so long as the finger pressure is applied to the manipulatable body 11 at the opened position. However, when the finger pressure is released, the manipulatable body 11 returns to the closed position, as shown in FIG. 1, by the action of the wire spring 25 while the striker 21 remains in position with the striking block 22 in contact with the impact receiving area 2a of the piezoelectric igniter 2.

During return movement of the manipulatable body 11 to the closed position with the legs 11a pivoting counterclockwise about the axis of the support pin 12, the ends of the pin member 26 relatively slide on the curved edges of the bodies 34 which define the escapement recesses 38, respectively, and subsequently over the tops of the fingers 35a onto the rounded recesses 35. During this course of relative sliding movement of the ends of the pin member 26, the cam lever 31 is first depressed so as to pivot clockwise against the wire spring 37 and then pivoted counterclockwise urged by said wire spring 37 so as to receive the ends of the pin member 26 in the rounded recesses 35. This is possible because, as hereinbefore described, the wire spring 25 exerts a greater circumferentially outwardly acting force than the wire spring 37 does.

Simultaneously therewith, disengagement of the end of the operating lever 41 from the stopper 13 takes place as the nozzle 6 is inwardly pulled in the known manner to close itself.

In this way, one complete cycle of operation of the piezoelectric cigarette lighter constructed in accordance with the present invention completes.

It should be noted that, by suitably selecting the position of either or both of the pin members 12 and 24 with respect to the pin members 26 and 32, a desired stroke of movement of the striking block 22 can be obtained within a limited space of the casing 4.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that, since the principle of leverage is employed in the path of transmission of force resulting from the application of the finger pressure for circumferentially inwardly compressing the wire spring 25 to the striker 21, a relatively small finger pressure is sufficiently required to cause the wire spring 25 to accummulate the energy required to give a sufficiently strong impact to the impact receiving area of the piezoelectric igniter through the striking block.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way of example, various changes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art should be construed as included within the true scope of the present invention unless otherwise they depart therefrom.

What is claimed is:

l. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter including a piezoelectric igniter having a discharge electrode and a fuel container having a valving nozzle forming a ground electrode with respect to the discharge electrode, a spark of high voltage being generated between said discharge and ground electrodes, when said piezoelectric igniter receives an impact applied thereto, for igniting fuel from the interior of the fuel container that has been discharged gasified through the valving nozzle, the improvement which comprises:

a solid framework;

a manipulatable body carried by said framework for pivotal movement between closed and opened positions, said manipulatable body being operatively associated with said valving nozzle such that, when said manipulatable body is in the closed position, said valving nozzle is closed and, when said manipulatable body is in the opened position, said vlaving nozzle is opened to permit the fuel to be discharged therethrough;

a first resilient means for biasing said manipulatable body to said closed position;

a striking structure carried by said framework for pivotal movement between first and second positions, said striking structure when instantaneously moved from the second position to the first position being capable of giving the impact to the piezoelectric igniter;

a second resilient means for biasing said striking structure to said first position;

a third resilient means operatively carried by said manipulatable body; and

means pivotally carried by said manipulatable body and biased in one direction by said third resilient means, said pivotally carried means being capable of pivoting said striking structure from the first position to the second position against said second resilient means as said manipulatable body is moved towards the opened position by the application of a finger pressure thereto, said second resilient means during movement of said striking structure from the first position to the second position accumulating striking energy that is required to instantaneously and rapidly move said striking structure from the second position to the first position, said pivotally carried means permitting said striking energy to be released upon arrival of the manipulatable body at said closed position to drive the striking structure onto the piezoelectric igniter.

2. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second resilient means comprises a wire spring having one end engaged to the manipulatable body for biasing the latter in one direction towards the closed position and the other end engaged to the striking structure for biasing the latter towards the second position in a direction counter to the biasing direction of the manipulatable body, a substantially intermediate portion being coiled and carried by the framework.

3. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein third resilient means comprises a wire spring having one end engaged to the manipulatable body and 'the other end engaged to said pivotally cara pin member, wherein the resiliency exerted by said first resilient means on the striking structure is higher than that exerted by said third resilient means onthe pivotally carried means, and wherein said pivotally carried means comprises a cam lever having one end pivotally connected to the manipulatable body and the other end formed with a pair of fingers forming an inwardly recessed portion, said cam lever being biased by said third resilient means so as to receive said pin member in said recessed portion, said cam lever further having a projection and an escapement recess formed between said projection and one of said fingers that faces said projection, said projection being engageable with the manipulatable body, when the manipulatable body is pivoted from the closed position through a predetermined angle, for moving said cam lever together with said manipulatable body so that the striking structure after having been moved to the second position instantaneously and rapidly moves to the first position with the pin member slides over said one of the fingers to said escapement recess.

5. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter including a piezoelectric igniter having a discharge electrode and a fuel container having a valving nozzle forming a ground electrode with respect to the discharge electrode, a spark of high voltage being generated between said discharge and ground electrodes, when said piezoelectric igniter receives an impact applied thereto, for igniting fuel from the interior of the fuel container that has been discharged gasified through the valving nozzle, the improvement which comprises:

a casing having an opening above the valving nozzle,

a solid framework housed within said casing and held in position therein;

a manipulatable body forming a part of said casing for selectively closing and opening the opening of said casing and carried by said framework for pivotal movement between closed and opened positions, said manipulatable body being operatively associated with said valving nozzle such that, when said manipulatable body is in the closed position, said valving nozzle is closed and, when said manipulatable body is in the opened position, said valving nozzle is opened to permit the fuel to be discharged therethrough;

a striking structure carried by said framework for pivotal movement between first and second positions, said striking structure when instantaneously moved 8 from the second position to the first position being capable of giving the impact to the piezoelectric igniter;

a first wire spring having one end engaged to the manipulatable body and the other end engaged to the striking structure for biasing said manipulatable body and said striking structure in the opposite directions with respect to each other, said manipulatable body and said striking structure being thereby positioned to said closed position and said first position, respectively, a substantially intermediate portion of said first wire spring being coiled for accommulating, when said coiled portion is compressed with said ends thereof moving close to each other, striking energy required to drive the striking structure onto the piezoelectric igniter to give the impact thereto;

a cam lever having one end pivotally connected to the manipulatable body and the other end formed with a pair of fingers defining an inwardly recessed portion and further having a projection formed therein and an inwardly recessed escapement portion situated between said projection and one of said fingers facing said projection, said projection being engageable with said manipulatable body, when the manipulatable body is pivoted from the closed position through a predetermined angle towards the opened position, for moving said cam lever together with said manipulatable body;

a pin member carried by said striking structure; and

a second wire spring having one end engaged to said cam lever and the other end engaged to the manipulatable body for relatively biasing said cam lever in one direction with the inwardly recessed portion of said cam lever receiving therein said pin member whereby, when said manipulatable body is moved from the closed position towards the opened position, said cam lever with said recessed portion receiving therein said pin member causes the striking structure to be moved against the first wire spring while the coiled portion of said first wire spring is circumferentially inwardly compressed from both directions, said pin member being subsequently slid over said one of said fingers onto said escapement portion upon completion of the pivotal movement of said manipulatable body upon arriavel of said manipulatable body at said opened position, thus permitting the striking structure to be driven onto the piezoelectric igniter to generate the spark of high voltage therefrom.

UNI'IE'I) STATES IA'IENTI ()FFHJE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No- 3,817, 691 Dated June 18, 1974 Inventor(s) Tetsuo TATSUMI It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title page; insert the following:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data October 16, 1972 Japan 103379/1972 Signed and sealed this 8th day of October 1974.

Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-IO50(10-69) r: us. covznuuzm PRINTING omcz: I969 o3se-s34 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Patent No- 3,817, 691 Dated June 18, 1974 Inventor'(s) 'Ietsuo TATSUMI ppears in the aboveidentified patent It is certified that error a hereby corrected as shown below:

and that said Letters Patent are Title page; insert the following:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data October 16', 1972 Japan 103379/1972 Signed and sealed this 8th day of October 1974.

(SEAL) Att'est:

McCOY M GIBSON JR. 7 C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM po'wso H0459) USCOMM-DC 6O376-P69 [1.54 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I955 0-365-33 

1. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter including a piezoelectric igniter having a discharge electrode and a fuel container having a valving nozzle forming a ground electrode with respect to the discharge electrode, a spark of high voltage being generated between said discharge and ground electrodes, when said piezoelectric igniter receives an impact applied thereto, for igniting fuel from the interior of the fuel container that has been discharged gasified through the valving nozzle, the improvement which comprises: a solid framework; a manipulatable body carried by said framework for pivotal movement between closed and opened positions, said manipulatable body being operatively associated with said valving nozzle such that, when said manipulatable body is in the closed position, said valving nozzle is closed and, when said manipulatable body is in the opened position, said vlaving nozzle is opened to permit the fuel to be discharged therethrough; a first resilient means for biasing said manipulatable body to said closed position; a striking structure carried by said framEwork for pivotal movement between first and second positions, said striking structure when instantaneously moved from the second position to the first position being capable of giving the impact to the piezoelectric igniter; a second resilient means for biasing said striking structure to said first position; a third resilient means operatively carried by said manipulatable body; and means pivotally carried by said manipulatable body and biased in one direction by said third resilient means, said pivotally carried means being capable of pivoting said striking structure from the first position to the second position against said second resilient means as said manipulatable body is moved towards the opened position by the application of a finger pressure thereto, said second resilient means during movement of said striking structure from the first position to the second position accumulating striking energy that is required to instantaneously and rapidly move said striking structure from the second position to the first position, said pivotally carried means permitting said striking energy to be released upon arrival of the manipulatable body at said closed position to drive the striking structure onto the piezoelectric igniter.
 2. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second resilient means comprises a wire spring having one end engaged to the manipulatable body for biasing the latter in one direction towards the closed position and the other end engaged to the striking structure for biasing the latter towards the second position in a direction counter to the biasing direction of the manipulatable body, a substantially intermediate portion being coiled and carried by the framework.
 3. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein third resilient means comprises a wire spring having one end engaged to the manipulatable body and the other end engaged to said pivotally carried means.
 4. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said striking structure is provided with a pin member, wherein the resiliency exerted by said first resilient means on the striking structure is higher than that exerted by said third resilient means on the pivotally carried means, and wherein said pivotally carried means comprises a cam lever having one end pivotally connected to the manipulatable body and the other end formed with a pair of fingers forming an inwardly recessed portion, said cam lever being biased by said third resilient means so as to receive said pin member in said recessed portion, said cam lever further having a projection and an escapement recess formed between said projection and one of said fingers that faces said projection, said projection being engageable with the manipulatable body, when the manipulatable body is pivoted from the closed position through a predetermined angle, for moving said cam lever together with said manipulatable body so that the striking structure after having been moved to the second position instantaneously and rapidly moves to the first position with the pin member slides over said one of the fingers to said escapement recess.
 5. A piezoelectric cigarette lighter including a piezoelectric igniter having a discharge electrode and a fuel container having a valving nozzle forming a ground electrode with respect to the discharge electrode, a spark of high voltage being generated between said discharge and ground electrodes, when said piezoelectric igniter receives an impact applied thereto, for igniting fuel from the interior of the fuel container that has been discharged gasified through the valving nozzle, the improvement which comprises: a casing having an opening above the valving nozzle, a solid framework housed within said casing and held in position therein; a manipulatable body forming a part of said casing for selectively closing and opening the opening of said casing and carried by said framework for pivotal movement betweEn closed and opened positions, said manipulatable body being operatively associated with said valving nozzle such that, when said manipulatable body is in the closed position, said valving nozzle is closed and, when said manipulatable body is in the opened position, said valving nozzle is opened to permit the fuel to be discharged therethrough; a striking structure carried by said framework for pivotal movement between first and second positions, said striking structure when instantaneously moved from the second position to the first position being capable of giving the impact to the piezoelectric igniter; a first wire spring having one end engaged to the manipulatable body and the other end engaged to the striking structure for biasing said manipulatable body and said striking structure in the opposite directions with respect to each other, said manipulatable body and said striking structure being thereby positioned to said closed position and said first position, respectively, a substantially intermediate portion of said first wire spring being coiled for accommulating, when said coiled portion is compressed with said ends thereof moving close to each other, striking energy required to drive the striking structure onto the piezoelectric igniter to give the impact thereto; a cam lever having one end pivotally connected to the manipulatable body and the other end formed with a pair of fingers defining an inwardly recessed portion and further having a projection formed therein and an inwardly recessed escapement portion situated between said projection and one of said fingers facing said projection, said projection being engageable with said manipulatable body, when the manipulatable body is pivoted from the closed position through a predetermined angle towards the opened position, for moving said cam lever together with said manipulatable body; a pin member carried by said striking structure; and a second wire spring having one end engaged to said cam lever and the other end engaged to the manipulatable body for relatively biasing said cam lever in one direction with the inwardly recessed portion of said cam lever receiving therein said pin member whereby, when said manipulatable body is moved from the closed position towards the opened position, said cam lever with said recessed portion receiving therein said pin member causes the striking structure to be moved against the first wire spring while the coiled portion of said first wire spring is circumferentially inwardly compressed from both directions, said pin member being subsequently slid over said one of said fingers onto said escapement portion upon completion of the pivotal movement of said manipulatable body upon arriavel of said manipulatable body at said opened position, thus permitting the striking structure to be driven onto the piezoelectric igniter to generate the spark of high voltage therefrom. 